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The changing marketing landscape is adapting to a new way of promoting brands, where connection, engagement and experience along with meaningful insights bring your brand to life. Marketing of brands in particular has evolved over the years and brand owners expect more for their ROI. Consumers equally have higher expectations of their purchases in tough economic times.

Bianca Brink, general manager of the Isilumko Activate Integrated Marketing Agency, says,”Social media platforms in South Africa now attract over 25 million users, so we have embraced the fusion of the below-the-line (BTL) and digital spaces. We are very excited to see the return of face-to-face, interpersonal marketing in the brand activation space. After more than two years of major disruptions, the experiential marketing space has slowly started to open more and more, especially over the past few months. We are re-energised and welcome the opportunity to showcase our new and revised integrated marketing strategy. We provide the link between the brand owners and their targeted consumers.”

Bianca adds that fortunately for the events-based marketing industry the demand for products and services has never gone away. South Africans have always been avid fans of sporting events, concerts and outdoor events. In-store activation has in the past offered a great customer experience to shoppers. Many shoppers have longed for the smell of a promoter cooking a new tasty treat. In-store promotions have always helped to disrupt the shopper and get your brand’s product into the hands of a customer. As an industry we are happy to see that retailers have opened their doors to in-store promotions.

Event organisersare now even more focused on delivering outstanding service with new and innovative experiences. While event spending and options may be different, there is a definite shift to more outdoor hospitality solutions. From an in-store perspective, the re-introduction of brick and mortar store campaigns has been a huge boost to the activations business.

While Covid regulations have been relaxed, adjustments to events-based services not only supporthealth and safety imperativesbut also present opportunities to create unique brand touch points. The clever use of technology can assist with the staggering of for instance food and beverage services combined with real brand engagement via brand ambassadors. Branded events and experiences inspire and motivate your consumers to take action and directly engage with your brand and can assist to build an emotional connection with your product, while providing great lead generation benefits.

“We are a dynamic, high-energy, passionate and experienced team where focus is placed on building and maintaining solid long term client partnerships, with trust, care and ongoing value contribution. We fully understand our clients’ values and culture, with a strong emphasis on ROI. Added to consumer insights and driving impactful and creative conceptual solutions. We connect the brand with the consumer and ensure successful go-to-market campaign results,” says Bianca.

Isilumko’s national presence with wholly owned offices in five major cities allows the team to be hands-on, agile and locally focused to provide solid project management, ongoing optimisation and seamless execution, where Connection, Engagement and Experience, along with meaningful Insights – Bring Your Brand to Life.

The team at Isilumko Activate are excited for what lies ahead! Our portfolio of services includes brand activations; experiential marketing; traditional trade solutions; digital, USSD and loyalty programmes, where our digital capabilities embrace understanding data, tools, platforms and channels; creative design, print and production; media strategy and buying; events, expos and roadshows; CSR marketing; and conferences.

Chat to your brand expert! Go to www.isilumkoactivate.co.za or email az.oc.okmulisi@etavitca or dial 011 2672920 (Gauteng) or 021 461 3609 (Western Cape). And take a peek at our company showreel here.